Ducks are cute, but....should I??

[Isaac 0]

It's always a good idea to research before adding any animal to our lives. Your doing the right thing by talking to members about their experiences. Ducks are defiantly messy, love water and mud and poop a lot. But having them in my life makes all the mess and poop take a back seat. They are funny, they are great at bug control and can take a bad day at work and make so much better, just sitting out watching their antics. Many of us have them as pets and thoroughly enjoy them mess an all. There are ways to keep the smell down, don't keep food and water inside their house for one. Once they are 6 weeks old they can go all night with out either. I use deep bedding and just go in daily and scoop out the wet poop turn bedding and add as needed, this is with 18 water fowl, I have 16 chickens also.

 

[KnightsMist]

Thanks for the feedback! Between the responses here and in a fb group I think I will leave the duckies to the pros and stick with just chickens

 

[Jpat]

Ducks don't actually need a pond or even a water to dunk their heads in. Metzer Farms (a huge duck breeder) doesn't provide that to their ducks.

You got lucky there, Water for them to wash their eyes and nares is a healthy practice

 

[Beaglegal]

I'm hoping to start a flock of chickens this year or next (starting with 8-10 and then I'm sure chicken math up to about 25 hahaha) and of course everyone's cute pictures of ducklings has me thinking...should I add a couple ducks, too???

My biggest hesitation is the extra work for ducks re:water in the form of a pond, small pool, etc. I already have a horse and donkey (and a family!), I'm not above doing work and getting my hands dirty but I don't want to add a ton of extra daily work to my plate. Everything I've read about chickens seems they'll be pretty easy....so should I get a couple ducks too, or skip? How much work are they really??

ETA- We have a low lying area by the paddock that holds water for a good part of the year but definitely dries up in the heat of the summer- so I know that could be a possible part-time option for them if they free range (I plan to keep chickens in a large coop and fenced run) but will need a solution for July/Aug/Sept when the wet area is mostly dry (save for a big rain, but then it's just temporary).

My ducks aren’t any more work then my chickens, perhaps less so. I have cement mixing tubs that I refill every other day and they work just fine for a pond.

 

[Beaglegal]

I have both, if you don’t have enough females to male ratio, things get violent. My male pekin chases after the chickens ( not sure if playing or aggressive), my female pekin doesn’t both them. Just the males. Had to rehome 2 other males cause they were so violent towards the chickens (always trying to mate). I don’t want anymore ducks after these two. I feel like if I had a nice big pond I would, but I just have a kiddie pool and I don’t think that’s fair to them.

Yes the male issue is an issue, I would get sexed females

 

[Beaglegal]

It's always a good idea to research before adding any animal to our lives. Your doing the right thing by talking to members about their experiences. Ducks are defiantly messy, love water and mud and poop a lot. But having them in my life makes all the mess and poop take a back seat. They are funny, they are great at bug control and can take a bad day at work and make so much better, just sitting out watching their antics. Many of us have them as pets and thoroughly enjoy them mess an all. There are ways to keep the smell down, don't keep food and water inside their house for one. Once they are 6 weeks old they can go all night with out either. I use deep bedding and just go in daily and scoop out the wet poop turn bedding and add as needed, this is with 18 water fowl, I have 16 chickens also.

Mine are pets as well, the chickens are livestock. I do the deep bedding method as well and have lots of space so there is no smell really. I think the male issue is the biggest issue

 

[Kessel23]

I like mine and they only take a couple minutes each day to take care of. They are more obnoxious than the chickens with the mess imo but I do enjoy their hardiness compared to chickens. Don't need to worry about coccidiosis, marek's or really anything. If you feed them right and make sure they have water to dunk their heads in then there is really never any problems. Also, they are more cold tolerant which is nice around here. Don't need a swimming area btw.

 

[johntfs]

Thanks for the feedback! Between the responses here and in a fb group I think I will leave the duckies to the pros and stick with just chickens

If you do get both there are a couple things to consider. If you have a drake, you'll want to also have three or four (at least) ducks. Drakes can overbreed and injure/kill without sufficient breeding partners. Also, if you have a drake, you'll want to keep him separate from your chickens. The... equipment on drakes is such that it can easily kill chicken hens who just aren't biological able to deal with.

Also, if ducks get injured or bloody, chickens will sometimes peck at those wounds and can peck injured ducks to death. On the hand, duck eggs are awesome especially in baking, so it'd be well worth to get a couple duck hens. Really the only big reason to get a drake is if you want ducklings or fertilized duck eggs for some reason.

 

[DuckGirl77]

Thanks for the feedback! Between the responses here and in a fb group I think I will leave the duckies to the pros and stick with just chickens

Well, either way, I think it was a good idea that you looked into the idea. You never know what you may end up with! Like chicken math, you know, only with trying different kinds of birds? I still think ducks are a good idea at some point, just saying ... but I may be slightly biased

 

[Beaglegal]

Well, either way, I think it was a good idea that you looked into the idea. You never know what you may end up with! Like chicken math, you know, only with trying different kinds of birds? I still think ducks are a good idea at some point, just saying ... but I may be slightly biased

I honestly thought I would never get ducks, but my farm came with them, now they are my favorite part. But I also think ducks are more of a hate em or love em situation than chickens